Module::Build::Convert - Makefile.PL to Build.PL converter

 use Module::Build::Convert;

 # example arguments (empty %args is sufficient too)
 %args = (Path => '/path/to/perl/distribution(s)',
          Verbose => 2,
          Use_Native_Order => 1,
          Len_Indent => 4);

 $make = Module::Build::Convert->new(%args);
 $make->convert;

ExtUtils::MakeMaker has been a de-facto standard for the common distribution of Perl modules; Module::Build is expected to supersede ExtUtils::MakeMaker in some time (part of the Perl core as of 5.9.4).

The transition takes place slowly, as the converting process manually achieved is yet an uncommon practice. The Module::Build::Convert Makefile.PL parser is intended to ease the transition process.

Options:

* Path

Path to a Perl distribution. May point to a single distribution directory or to one containing more than one distribution. Default: ''

* Makefile_PL

Filename of the Makefile script. Default: Makefile.PL

* Build_PL

Filename of the Build script. Default: Build.PL

* MANIFEST

Filename of the MANIFEST file. Default: MANIFEST

* RC

Filename of the RC file. Default: .make2buildrc

* Dont_Overwrite_Auto

If a Build.PL already exists, output a notification and ask whether it should be overwritten. Default: 1

* Create_RC

Create a RC file in the homedir of the current user. Default: 0

* Parse_PPI

Parse the Makefile.PL in the PPI Parser mode. Default: 0

* Exec_Makefile

Execute the Makefile.PL via 'do Makefile.PL'. Default: 0

* Verbose

Verbose mode. If set to 1, overridden defaults and skipped arguments are printed while converting; if set to 2, output of Verbose = 1 and created Build script will be printed. May be set via the make2build switches -v (mode 1) and -vv (mode 2). Default: 0

* Debug

Rudimentary debug facility for examining the parsing process. Default: 0

* Process_Code

Process code embedded within the arguments list. Default: 0

* Use_Native_Order

Native sorting order. If set to 1, the native sorting order of the Makefile arguments will be tried to preserve; it's equal to using the make2build switch -n. Default: 0

* Len_Indent

Indentation (character width). May be set via the make2build switch -l. Default: 3

* DD_Indent

Data::Dumper indendation mode. Mode 0 will be disregarded in favor of 2. Default: 2

* DD_Sortkeys

Data::Dumper sort keys. Default: 1

Parses the Makefile.PL's WriteMakefile() arguments and converts them to Module::Build equivalents; subsequently the according Build.PL is created. Takes no arguments.

ExtUtils::MakeMaker arguments followed by their Module::Build equivalents. Converted data structures preserve their native structure, that is, HASH -> HASH, etc.

 NAME                  module_name
 DISTNAME              dist_name
 ABSTRACT              dist_abstract
 AUTHOR                dist_author
 VERSION               dist_version
 VERSION_FROM          dist_version_from
 PREREQ_PM             requires
 PL_FILES              PL_files
 PM                    pm_files
 MAN1PODS              pod_files
 XS                    xs_files
 INC                   include_dirs
 INSTALLDIRS           installdirs
 DESTDIR               destdir
 CCFLAGS               extra_compiler_flags
 EXTRA_META            meta_add
 SIGN                  sign
 LICENSE               license
 clean.FILES           @add_to_cleanup

Module::Build default arguments may be specified as key/value pairs. Arguments attached to multidimensional structures are unsupported.

 #build_requires       HASH
 #recommends           HASH
 #conflicts            HASH
 license               unknown
 create_readme         1
 create_makefile_pl    traditional

Value may be either a string or of type SCALAR, ARRAY, HASH.

Module::Build arguments are sorted as enlisted herein. Additional arguments, that don't occur herein, are lower prioritized and will be inserted in unsorted order after preceedingly sorted arguments.

 module_name
 dist_name
 dist_abstract
 dist_author
 dist_version
 dist_version_from
 requires
 build_requires
 recommends
 conflicts
 PL_files
 pm_files
 pod_files
 xs_files
 include_dirs
 installdirs
 destdir
 add_to_cleanup
 extra_compiler_flags
 meta_add
 sign
 license
 create_readme
 create_makefile_pl

Code that preceeds converted Module::Build arguments.

 use strict;
 use warnings;

 use Module::Build;

 $MAKECODE

 my $b = Module::Build->new
 $INDENT(

Code that follows converted Module::Build arguments.

 $INDENT);

 $b->create_build_script;

 $MAKECODE

This behavior is no longer the default way to receive WriteMakefile()'s arguments; the Makefile.PL is now statically parsed unless one forces manually the co-opting of WriteMakefile().

In order to convert arguments, a typeglob from WriteMakefile() to an internal sub will be set; subsequently Makefile.PL will be executed and the arguments are then accessible to the internal sub.

Converted ExtUtils::MakeMaker arguments will be dumped by Data::Dumper's Dump() and are then furtherly processed.

Module::Build::Convert should be considered experimental as the parsing of the Makefile.PL doesn't necessarily return valid arguments, especially for Makefiles with bad or even worse, missing intendation.

The parsing process may sometimes hang with or without warnings in such cases. Debugging by using the appropriate option/switch (see CONSTRUCTOR/new) may reveal the root cause.

http://www.makemaker.org, ExtUtils::MakeMaker, Module::Build, http://www.makemaker.org/wiki/index.cgi?ModuleBuildConversionGuide

Steven Schubiger <schubiger@cpan.org>

This program is free software; you may redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

See http://www.perl.com/perl/misc/Artistic.html